Means for salvaging submerged vessels



F. G. PHILLIPS.

MEANS FOR sALvAGlN SUBMERGED vEssELs.

APPLICATIN FILED OCT. 3|.119l9.

Patented @11.13.1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l. flqi.

F. G. PHILLIPS.

MEANS FOR SALVAGING SUBMEHGED VESSELS. APPLICATION FILED ocr. sI. 1919.

1,328,014, Y Patented Jan. 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'Trank Pfeizzys mvrr s Eg- PATENT onirica.

l FRANK. G. PHILLIPS, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

MEANS ron sALvAeING sum/Innern vnssnLs.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Gr. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented' certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Salvaging Submerged Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a means for salvaging submerged vessels and is particularly designed to effect the raising of a sunken vessel from deep water beyond the depth at which divers can conveniently work. p

The device includes as its most important feature a salvaging vessel which is provided along its middle line with an air-locked chamber which is open to the sea at the bottom on each side of the keel and extends upward to approximately the main deck. This chamber is divided by bulkheads into separate compartments, which compartments are under air pressure to maintain the full displacement of the vessel.

The wreck lifting means is applied from within the middle line compartments in a manner which is fully described in the following specication, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied.

In these drawings Figure l is a side elevation and part section showing the application of the salvaging ship to raise a submerged vessel; Fig. 2 is a plan of the salvaging ship; and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section to an enlarged scale showing the application of the salvaging ship to a submerged vessel.

In these drawings 2 represents the hull of the salvaging ship, the displacement of which is suiicient to effect the lifting of a wreck to which it is applied, and the beam of which is preferably in excess of that of the wreck. vThis vessel 2 is provided along its middle line with a series of open bottom air-tight chambers 3 extending from the bottom to the main deck 4, the chambers being separated from one another by transverse bulkheads 5.

The width of these chambers may be ap-v specification of Lettersratent.

A PatenteaJan. 13,` 1920.-

Application led October 31, 1919. Serial No. 334,705.

which, as Vpreviously stated, is open atthe bottom to the water and is clear of any obstruction beyond the. bulkheads 5 andwhat is necessary in the framing of the vessel.

Along each side of the compartments 3 are wire rope haulingrdevices 6, preferably such as will haul .in the rope and pass it to a drum to be coiled. These devices are power operated in any suitablepmanner from ashafting or from motors within the body of the vessel 2 on each side of the compartment-3.

The salvagingv vesselv 2 'being strongly moored over the position of the submerged boat byy cables 11, see Fig. 2, heavy vwire ropes 7 are taken from the rope hauling devices 6 on opposite-sides of the rchamber 3 and are coupled' together in pairs to form loops. Y

These wire rope loops are successively passed from the bow (or from either end) under the 4hull 10 of the submerged vessel, each rope as it is passed under the vessel being vtightened by the rope hauling devices to exercise a lifting tendencyon thesubmerged` vessel l0 that the succeeding rope may be passed aft beyond it. This process of placing the wire rope loops under the vessel becomes easier when a number of the ropes are placed and are able to exert a suiicient lifting power to raise that end of the vessel.

That the full displacement of the salvaging vessel 2 maybe available for lifting the submerged boat, the chambersV 3 'are supplied with compressed air sufficient to keep the water approximately level with the bottom of the vessel,and access to the Ychambers under pressure will be made through airlocks 12 conveniently provided in the spaces of the hull 2 on each side of the compartments 3. l

-To assist in arrangement of the ropes 7 under the hull 10, air-tight diving vessels 8, are lowered from the salvaging vessel 2 down each side, which diving vessels may be connected to the lifting ropes 7 asl the same are placed and tightened. These diving vessels 8 are supplied with air and power from'the salvaging y'vessel 2 and may have a measure of independent movementby motor driven propellers. To provide the necessary illumination of the work on the submerged vessel the diving vessels 8 are provided with powerful searchlights, and the hull of the submerged vessel may be generally illuminated Aby propno i CIL

erly inclosedk powerful lights 9 with downward reflectors, suspended and lowered from the salvaging vessel.

The salvaging vessel 2 will carry its yown power for movement and for serving the rope hauling devices, etc. Its decks will preferably be flush, and should be` as free as possible from top hamper, so 'that when drawn down to the waterlevel by the lifting load, it will offer as little obstruction as possible to the waves.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Let ters Patent, is:

l. A salvaging vessel, comprising a hull having a chamber along the middle line which is open along the bottom to the .sea

and is closed above water, Weightlifting devices disposed along each side of the com- Vpartment and wire ropes Vfrom opposed lifting devices, which ropes are connected together to form loops that may be successively passed under thehull of a submerged vessel.

2. A salvaging vessel, comprising a hull having a chamber along the middle line which is open along the bottom to the sea and is closed above water, said chamber` having a false. deck and weight lifting devices disposed along each side of the chamber on the false deck.

3. A salvaging vessel, comprisinga hull having a chamber along the middle line which is open along the bottom to the sea and is closed above water, said compartment being charged with air under pressure suflicient to maintain the level of ther'water in the compartment at approximately the bottom ofthe vessel, and weight lifting devices disposed along each side of thecompartment from which looped wire ropes may be taken and successively passed underthe hull of a submerged vessel.

4. A salvaging vessel, comprising a hull having a chamber along the middle line which is open along the bottom to thesea and Vis closed above water, said chamber being subdivided by transverse bulkheads into a series of compartments, which compartments are charged with air under Vpressure,

sufficient to maintain the level of the water in the compartment at approximately the bottom of the vessel, and weight lifting devices disposed along each lsiderofV each compartment'. Y

5. A salvaging vessel, comprising a hull having a chamber along the middle line which is open along the bottom to the sea and is closed above water, said 4chamber be-V ing subdivided by transverse bulkheads into a series of compartments, which compartments are charged with air under pressure suliicient to maintain the levelVV of the water in the compartment at approximately the bottom of the vessel, an air-locked communication betweenthe main deck and` each compartment, and weight lifting devices disposed along each side of each compartment.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature.

VFRANK e. PHILLIPS. 

